Navistar International Corp. said Wednesday that one of its affiliates will create a joint venture with U.K.-based Modec Ltd. to build Class 2 and 3 all-electric commercial trucks in the United States for sale to North, Central and South American markets.
Navistar-Modec EV Alliance LLC will produce the trucks, designed for urban applications involving heavy stop-and-go driving, Navistar said.
The trucks will be aerodynamically styled with a two-ton plus carrying capacity, rely solely on plug-in power, and are projected to have a range of up to 100 miles per charge.
They produce zero tailpipe emissions and are the latest in a series of advanced, clean technology vehicles that have become part of Navistar’s portfolio.
These trucks will be produced in Elkhart County, Ind. Navistar intends to produce 400 electric vehicles in 2010, and expects to be producing several thousand annually within two years.
The company said it anticipates the creation of up to 700 new jobs, including suppliers and employees, as volumes grow.
President Obama said in August that Navistar would receive a federal grant of $39.2 million in funding from the Department of Energy to develop and build all-electric trucks.
The collaboration between Navistar and DOE “demonstrates the importance of business and government working together to make energy efficient vehicles a reality, and the continued need for research and development of advanced commercial vehicle technologies,” Navistar said.
